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Duchy of Regmont
The King is dead... Long live the King! Or, duke, as would be more fitting for the Astrian duchies. Duke Giacomo the Great of Regmont saw a fairly long and extremely prosperous reign. Ruling over the Astrian mountainfolk for thirty five years, he unified the nobility of his realm after the strifes which led to the death of his father, forging a mighty state from an unstable mess. He conquered the Gallacci tribes and brought them to the light of Astrian civilisation in the name of the Father and the Moons, and he solidified an Astrian pressence in Kyrteca. He also married a Gallaccian chieftain's daughter and had a son - a symbol of unity between the people of Regmont and Gallacci. A bright new era was rising for the Regmontians... But all good things must come to end. On a starless night, when no moonlight broke through the thick clouds in the sky, Giacomo passed away quietly in his sleep, in the beginning of the 1477th year of The Moons. His realm wept, his family despaired. But from this despair, much like from the ashes of the Lorencian-razed Kyrteca, a seed of hope resurfaced - Giacomo's son, Valentino, who was named after Giacomo's brother, took up the ducal throne of Regmont at the young age of 18. The realm both wept at the loss of a great leader, and rejoiced at the coming of a new one, and while the future was, and still to this day might remain unclear, there is hope in it - hope that Valentino will continue his father's legacy, and perhaps even surpass it. Having grown up in a courtly enviroment, raised by nobles, his skills in diplomacy, stewardship and combat have already been noted by many. And yet, while this ambitious young mountain lord seems like a promising ruler of his people, he still has a lot to learn - after all, he has only been Duke for one year. Furthermore, while Kyrteca might be tamed, new threats and dangers arise in the horizon. Regmont's might is yet again threatened by the neighbouring Lorencians - after the death of Duchess Livia, and the seizing of the ducal throne of Lorencia by Lord-Protector Maximillian, tensions have been on the rise between the adherents of Dualism, and those who flock to the newly-forged faith, Lunarism. While not excommunicated, Lorencia has been warned of its heretical ways by the Tėvas. The question is, if the Vicar of Vedici calls for another Crescentada hoping to purge a heresy this close to home, should Regmont answer? In addition, not only do religious matters pose a threat to Valentino's rule, but also the political tensions - Lorencian nobility has blamed both the Church and the nobility of Regmont for the assassination of Livia. Valentino's reign stands at a crossroads since the very beginning - should his people once again rise to battle against their old competitors, or should they remain safe and neutral? Or, should the Alpii attempt to reclaim their former imperial glory with their newly-found might, reuniting Astros, and setting out to bring Astrian civilisation to the rest of the world? Fires blaze in the distance, and they glare in Valentino's eyes - will he be drawn like a moth to the flame, and have his wings burn in anguish? Or will he tame the flames of the world, like his father tamed the blazing fires of Kyrteca? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain - if it was done once, it can be done again... Old Lore By the crescent and the sword, rides a soldier of the Lord. Since Duke Giacomo the Great's ascension to the throne of Regmont twenty three ago, things have changed a lot. Regmontian society, economics, and politics had been reshaped dramatically. Being the first to heed the summons of the Crescentada called upon the lands of the north, the duchy has pleased the Tėvas greatly. Filling their coffers with newly-gained riches from the conquest of most of the Gallaccian lands, and establishing a solid foothold in Kyrteca, Regmont has become an even greater regional power - in fact, its influence has grown so much, that Duke Giacomo the Great could ask the Tėvas of the Dualist Church for the crown of the Grand Duke, and easily have it granted to him, making him the second Grand Duke in Astros - the first one being Duke Niccolo the Ill-Fated. However, as the poem goes, "Separation, rage and hate then had sealed a peasant's fate". Despite best efforts of the Regmontian duke, there is still great segregation between the Gallaccians and Astrians in the region. However, Giacomo's attempts at bringing literacy and the Astrian sciences and education to Kyrteca have brought at least some fruit - most of the younger Gallaccian folk now speak the tongue of the men who came from the south. As a matter of fact, Giacomo himself has married the daughter of one of the most influential Gallaccian chieftains, to further prove that this is a "willing union". Yet, for all that, the Gallacci are not entirely willing to give up. While the nobles at home now adore Giacomo, the nobles who have come under his rule recently are not quite as fond of him. Furthermore, a man who calls himself "The Mountain King", one of the more powerful chieftains who oppose the Alpii in their claims to the north, is still putting up fierce, yet discreet resistance against the Regmontian occupation. Dubbed "Sambucco" by the Astrians, he has been a bigger pain in the head to Giacomo than bandits have ever been to Arevincians when the war ended. However, his resistance is now far weaker, as Sambucco is slowly losing supporters among the Gallacci. Another pain that currently befalls the Duke is the tensions between Regmontian and Lorencian nobility - while down south in Lucia, "old wounds heal fast", they most certainly don't in the north, and both sides are still resentful of one another. And while it is not a military conflict, it is now an intense competition between the two states. However, Giacomo has already proven his worth tenfold than the nobility thought before. Rest assured - when Giacomo commands, those below him now tremble in fear and obey. Older Lore The city of Monturia is a living monument and a piece of history, reminding us that upon a well defended city, an empire can be forged. The Regmontians can boast of a proud heritage - House Alpio has entered (or it would be better to say, conquered) history as great, fierce, and swift warriors, comparable to none, and their conquests, which led to the creation of the Astrian Empire, led by the Alpii, are the most known across the Southern Mainlands. However, after the Astrian Empire - the finest creation of this duchy, - had shattered into pieces, Regmont was left devastated. The duchy hasn't enjoyed a day of independence during the brief times of the Astrian Confederation - conquerors changed within moments: the oppressive Duke Marzio Alpio, known for his mental unstability, was slain in combat; afterwards the Regmontians were forced to serve under the heels of their Lorencian neighbours. However, over the time, resistance grew, albeit silently. When the moment was right and the conqueror power was busy dealing with business in the Astrian Confederation, Regmont seized the day and declared independance. Lorencia no longer had interest in their lands, since they could not afford a war on yet another front. Ever since, the Regmontians have enjoyed freedom. Regmont has a suitable defensive position - the mountains are hard to access, and history has proven, time and again, that the city fortress of Monturia is a tough challenge to surmount, even for the most prepared of conquerors. However, their military power and currently held lands are only a shadow of what they once were. Although their economy is yet to recover, riches can be seen on the horizon: the rich deposits of iron ore in the mountains of the region look promising. Regmont is a realm that is surely to withstand further challenges, and maybe even rise back to it's older glory, unless, that is, their old conquerors would urge to regain their lost possessions... Category:Astros Category:Factions